Self-aligning carrier for belt conveyers



Sept. 25, 1951 M. A. KENDALL SELF-ALIGNING CARRIER FOR BELT CONVEYERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 4, 1947 Patented Sept. 25, 1951 SELF ALlGNlNG'. CARRIER FORBEIST' CGNVEYEB'S Myron A. -Kendal.l Aurora, 111;, assignor StephenssAdamson. Mfg.

Illinois- Co2,, a: corporation. ofi

Application Octbber i, 194v,;-seri'a1-Ne. 777,911

This invention relates to belt conveyors withparticular reference to self-aligning carriers forautomatically returning the conveyor belt to center when forv an reason it creeps to one side. As heretofore made, such carriers have consisted of ordinary. carriers pivotediattha center to swing about a vertical axisv when; the; belt: creeps to oneside andithus. steer it back-to center. Many such carriers have been equipped with guide rollers at each side at right angles to: the edges of thebelttopositively limitfsidewisetravel of the beltand-toswing'the carriers. But such guide rollers arehard. on the edges of the belt and they. are exposed to damage by large. rocks or, the likecarried by the' belt.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means that will be acted upon by the under surface of the creeping belt to positionally swing the carrier. Generally speaking, this is accomplished by mountin an auxiliary pulle or idler at each side of the carrier and positioned to be moved by the bottom of the belt when it creeps, and means operated by the pulley to swing the carrier to steel the belt back into line.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section through a conveyor;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the self-aligning carrier;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fulcrum bracket for mounting the auxiliary pulley; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view with the intermediate portions of the idlers broken away to show other parts of the device.

In the drawings, Ill indicates the side beams of a supporting structure spanned by a special underslung cross bar II in the middle of which there is a pivotal mounting l2 for a carrier composed of a base angle l3 and central and troughing pulleys or idlers l4 and I5 journaled on the shafts l6 and I1 and supported by brackets l8 and I9 fixed to the angle l3. Such carriers may be assumed to be old, are of the type furnished by Stephens-Adamson Manufacturing Co. of Aurora, Illinois, in connection with belt conveyors. In practice, one of the pivoted or swinging carriers is used for about each fifty feet of belt conveyor.

According to this invention, there are auxiliary idlers or pulleys 20, one at each side of the carrial, Journaled on a shaft 2|, adjustably mount- 4 Glaims: (o1. RISE-202% ed in the-upper arm: 22 of a two-arm bracket fiilcrum'ed on a; shaft 2-3; carried by a fulcrum bracket; adjustably mounted on the upturned erld ZB of th'angle l3; and having: a lower'arm 2|? connected by a thrust-link 21' with' the depressed cross bar I Preferably the auxiliary pulleys 20 are so adjust'ed as. to have slight contact. with the edged portions of the conveyo'r'belt29' as indicated by the"- ar-rows- 30 soas to beimmediately brought into action when the-b'elt-creeps t'o one side. In fact, they are always inaction; but theiractions being equal, there is noefiect on the pivoted car tiers.- But as soonia'sthe belt-creeps toon'e side; the pressure of the under surface ofthe belt. on theauxiliary pulley 2|I will: act. uponzthe= shafti 2|: and the arm 22 to swing the two-arm lever about the fulcrum 23 and push the thrust arm 21 against the cross bar thereby swinging the carrier about the pivot |2 in a direction to steer the belt back to center.

The action is illustrated in the diagram in Fig. 3, where the pressure of the belt is indicated by the arrow 3|, and acting upon the pulley 20 rotates the crank 35 as indicated by the arrows 36 and 31, and pushing against the thrust link as indicated by the arrow 38 which will swing the carrier in the direction indicated by the arrow 39 and steer the belt back to center.

The shafts 2| are made adjustable in the upper arms 22 of the brackets by passing them through cylindrical portions 4| and making them fast by set screws 42, The fulcrum brackets 24 have flat pieces 43 with elongated slots 44 to receive bolts 45 by which they may be adjusted lengthwise to the upturned end portions 25 of the angle |3. By means of these adjustments, the idlers 20 may be adjusted to suit the conditions and put them in position to immediately react through the means described to swing the carrier and steer the belt back to center.

A here shown, the links 21 have their outer ends bent at right angles and inserted through openings in the arms 26 where they are made fast by keys 46, and the inner ends are similarly turned at an angle to be inserted through the cross bar and made fast by other keys 41.

These thrust rods are the only parts that need be changed to make the apparatus fit various widths of carriers.

The invention may be applied to a variety of troughing carriers regardless of the angle of the outer troughing rollers and the angle of the auxiliary pulleys will be varied to suit those conthe carrier at a greater angle of inclination with a portion projecting above the respective outer pulley, a lever fulcrumed on the cross member and supporting each auxiliary pulley, and means for connecting the lever and the support.

2. In a device of the character described, a support, a troughing carrier including troughing pulleys mounted on a carrier cross member pivoted to the support to swing about an axis substantially at right angles to the cross-member, i

an auxiliary pulley alongside each outer pulley 0f the carrier at a greater angle of inclination with a portion projecting above the respective outer pulley, atwo-armed lever fulcrumed on the cross member with one arm bearing the auxiliary pulley, and means connecting the other arm with the support. v V

3. In a device of the character described, a support, a troughing carrier including troughing pulleys mounted on a carrier cross member pivoted to the support to swing about an axis substantially at right angles to the cross member, an auxiliary pulley alongside each outer pulley and adjacent the side of the carrier at a greater angle of inclination than the angle of inclination of said outer pulley with a portion projecting above the respective outer pulley, and means car- 4 rying said auxiliary pulley mounted on said car rier and attached to said support, whereby pressure upon each auxiliary pulley operates through said means to swing said carrier about said axis and thereby to guide a conveyor belt to center.

4. In a device of the character described, a. support, a troughing carrier including troughing pulleys mounted on a carrier cross member pivoted to the support to swing about anaxis substantially at right angles to the cross member, alever fulcrumed on said troughing carrier adjacent each outer pulley, an auxiliary pulley mounted on each lever alongside the corresponding outer pulley at a greater angle of inclination than the angle of inclination of said outer pulley with a portion of said auxiliary pulley projecting above therespective outer pulley, and means connecting each lever and said support whereby pressure upon each auxiliary pulley operates through the associated lever to swing said carrier about said axis 'and'thereby to guide a' conveyor belt to center.

MYRON A. KENDALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Australia May 28, 1931 

